New Travel Journal

Attach a extra long piece of paper to your journal and then fold it over to make a file folder like this one. Hold the whole file together with a piece of elastic. Attaching pages and making folds is a great way to improve a boring journal. These pages are spraypainted, have glued fabric strips, and see that red stripe? That is a paper napkin from Target. Use masking tape and sew on the pages to add some other textures too. On the inside of the folder I have a list of things I saw when I was on my trip.

Grapefruit Graffiti

Grapefruit graffiti mail art on it's way out to some mail art buddies. I always get the mail art bug this time of year, enjoy it while it lasts you guys.

Rick Rack

I went to a wedding today and when I saw this cake, two words came immediately to mind. I mean it's obvious right?

Rick rack.

I mean, look at all the wasted years of round, plain white, wedding cakes when you could have something cool like this. AND look at all the years of wasted maternity tops with obnoxious rick rack around the sleeves and neck. What is that? Why did we have to look like I love Lucy when mothers to be, today, look like they could walk out of a fashion magazine. Why were we punished because we had wedding receptions and got pregnant in the wrong century? Life just isn't fair. Kind of like the whole ironing pillow cases thing.

I remember my grandma telling me as a young bride she was sitting on the front porch one hot summer evening hemming white cotton fabric. The nieghbor asked her what she was hemming and she mumbled "dish towels". Her face was red with imbarrassment knowing these were really diapers for her first little baby, my mother. Being pregnant, even when you were married was something you didn't talk about. Then they went right into the next century letting us tell people we were pregnant by our circus clown costumes.

I am sure the bride today didn't have rick rack on her mind when she looked at the pink flowers on her cake. Most likely she was thinking how she wanted to get out of her uncomfortable shoes, and on that plane to Hawaii, so she could work on her tan with her handsome new husband and come home to open wedding gifts.

Knowing she will never, ever have to do two things in her entire life.

Hem diapers or wear rick rack.
I can't think of a better way to start a marriage.

Congrats Kevin and Whitney.

Self Portrait

Personal shrouds left behind.

Forever imprints of once was.

Blurry from lack of purpose

thick stains from not giving in

or maybe you didn't leave a mark at all

blending in with everything around you.

Living Life From the Air

When you think of Wisconsin you think of cheese right? I mean not just the cheese you wear on your head at football games but like the string cheese you buy at gas stations. It's kind of like when you think of California you think of cross dressers and traffic. Or Oregon you think of Birkenstock's or Alaska really really depressed people. But while I was eating my string cheese from the gas station (really), I took these photos and realized that Madison, Wisconsin is just a place to be.

http://www.converse.com/index.aspx?bhcp=1#c1

Personalized Door Art

These are some of the door signs I made for Camp Runamuckus at Artfest. I can't believe I didn't get to go this year. There are ball chains hanging from the bottom of each one for everyone to hang their swaps, charms, business cards or whatever else they can find from their trip. At least they will get some sleep this year because I won't be there keeping everyone awake all night. Thanks Nikki for all your work decorating and bringing food, I know you all are going to have a great great time.